Oops. I forgot to update. I know it's a Sunday, but I've had a very busy week and though I got the Secrets of the Storms chapter ready, I forgot to post it. But because I'm leaving my home country for a holiday, I'll have to update a day early, on Thursday. My father's birthday is on Thursday, and we fly that night. This past week I've been making his birthday presents, so that's a reason why I haven't had the time to update.

Review:
I-really-hope-not: Sometimes, you don't get soaked through, but other times, it's like the place is flooding. It's so completely irritating that I might have to get some wellington boots to stop my feet from getting wet. I'll try to speak to my friend, and I'm pretty sure she'll love you. I've been to Canada; in fact I went on Easter. I've never seen the geese, but I startle really easily, so I guess that it's good that I've never seen them. I love Canada so much! It's breathtaking, the mountains. And I hope you enjoy this chapter! Lakepaw's view is very short this time, but I'm introducing a new view next chapter.

And onto the story!

Chapter 35

Lakepaw, ShadowClan

Yawning, half-asleep, Lakepaw rolled over.

"Oofff!" a gust of breath billowed past Lakepaw's cheek, ruffling the fur there. She sprung to her paws, shocked. Under her was Frostpaw.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were there! I-" Lakepaw was cut off by a snigger from the other end of the den. Sleetpaw lay in her nest, looking perfectly groomed. Her blue eyes were sharp with scorn.

"Hah! You sleep so close to each other you can roll over each other?! What kits." she scoffed.

"Well, it's better than acting like your siblings don't exist except for you to bully Featherpaw!"

Immediately, Lakepaw felt her cheeks heat up. Sleetpaw looked shocked- saddened even? But before Lakepaw could double-check, Sleetpaw's scorning face was back.

"To bully her? Excuse me! Were trying to show her her place! She's been strutting around like a leader, and Icyfrost is only encouraging her!"

Lakepaw felt her claws slide out, and with a massive effort, she sheathed them again. I can't believe that Sleetpaw thinks that I don't know how she treats Featherpaw! She felt anger bubbling up inside her, and words exploded out of her mouth.

"Do you think I'm stupid? I'm not blind either! Your mistreatment of Featherpaw is actually obvious to those of us who you haven't tricked into thinking that you're angels! You frog brained cats-no, you don't deserve to be called a cat! I'll tell you what I think of you. You are-"

"Lakepaw! What are you doing!?"

Ice trickled down Lakepaw's spine. She turned around, and looked at Sleetpaw's mentor, Bubblefire. The normally happy ginger tabby shecat was furious. Lakepaw winced.

"Seedpelt!" Bubblefire called, face half-turned away. The cream apprentice's mentor appeared, brow creased.

"Bubblefire? What's-Oh, what did you do, Lakepaw?!"

Bubblefire glared at Lakepaw, before slipping into the den and crossing over to Sleetpaw. The warrior spread her long tail out over the apprentice, and none of the warriors noticed Sleetpaw's gleeful smirk at Lakepaw.

"What were you thinking Lakepaw? This isn't you." With that Seedpelt padded away, meeting the other mentor across the den and murmuring in her ear. The ginger cat nodded a few times, and at last, whispered something back.

Seedpelt leapt back across, but Lakepaw noted the expression on her face. The frown was still creasing Seedpelt's brown face, and her green eyes were narrowed in thought. Maybe she's trying to think up a way to give me an easier punishment? I know I probably deserve a bad punishment, considering how I let my temper get ahold of me. But after all, Sleetpaw couldn't have tricked the whole Clan! There has to be one cat other than me, my sisters and Featherpaw, who know about Sleetpaw's bullying! But could she have managed to?

Lakepaw frowned. Of course Sleetpaw hadn't managed to do that. But all of her siblings except for Featherpaw? It might have been a piece of cake for kits, but definitely not for apprentices. Annoying ones at that.

Lakepaw's mentor drew to a halt in front of her. A gust of wind ruffled the cream fur on the apprentice's cheek as her mentor exhaled.

"Lakepaw, I-" Seedpelt took another breath, starting again. Lakepaw studied her face, blue eyes thoughtful. She noticed a small pale scar arcing down from just to the right of Seedpelt's left eye, to under her nose, to her lip. It was so faint, and so well-hidden, that Lakepaw had never noticed it before.

"Lakepaw. Bubblefire told me how you nearly insulted Sleetpaw. You do realise that Sleetpaw, Crunchpaw, Icepaw and Featherpaw are my cousins?"

Lakepaw barely held back a gasp. The three idiots and Featherpaw were related to Seedpelt? There was no similarity at all.

"Your punishment is-" Seedpelt gulped. Clearly Lakepaw's punishment was bad. The cream shecat squirmed.

"It is to tend to the queens, elders, and medicine cat's every needs for the next moon-" Seedpelt was interrupted by Lakepaw's frantic excuse.

"But-" The apprentice was cut off by Seedpelt stuffing her paw into Lakepaw's open mouth. The sentence that followed was muffled by her fur.

"As I was saying," Seedpelt shot Lakepaw a glare before continuing. "And, you are not to attend the next two Gatherings, and you are forbidden to go outside for a half moon without a request from one of the cats you are to tend to."

Lakepaw's mouth hung open. She was completely at a loss for words. Seedpelt glanced down at her feet, her paw successfully back on the ground once more.

"I know this seems to be a harsh punishment for what you did, but we can't let this happen. You talk to Featherpaw and give her tips, but whenever Crunchpaw, Sleetpaw, or Icepaw try to interact in any way with you, you give them the cold shoulder! Yes, you can have your dislikes about certain cats, or disagree with them, but blatant favoritism is not accepted."

Seedpelt brushed her tail lightly over Lakepaw's shoulder before padding out of the den, her lithe frame easily slipping through the entrance. Bubblefire and Sleetpaw followed suit, but the enemy apprentice couldn't resist one last jibe.

"And that, my dear Lakepaw, is why you shouldn't argue with the truth." Sleetpaw vanished outside, and the last thing Lakepaw saw of her was Sleetpaw's tail as she waved it in bidding farewell.

Lakepaw sat there, fuming. Frostpaw came up to her, and flicked her sister's nose with her tail. "You shouldn't have let yourself go. You knew that she twists everything that you do into something you can be punished for."

"But we'll teach you all the moves we learn in battle training, and all the new hunting techniques. We'll make sure that you don't fall behind. We're sisters, and we'll always stand up for each other." Duskpaw sat on Lakepaw's other side, curling her tail neatly.

"Duskpaw!" The cry sliced through the dry brambles of the apprentice's den, and following not long after was the call for Frostpaw. The two mewed a quick bye to Lakepaw, who replied half-heartedly. She waited a while before following them out to tend to the queens, before they started yowling. And with perfect timing. A yell sounded through the camp just as Lakepaw poked her head out of the den.

"Lakepaw!" Kinktail yowled. Lakepaw dashed off, pondering the idea of working hard enough to cut time off of her punishment. She could see Seedpelt watching her out of the corner of her eye, and felt pleased at the nod her mentor gave her.

"Lakepaw!" the queen screeched again. The apprentice in question gulped, before tearing off in the direction of the yowl.

Well, how did you guys like that? Next chapter, you'll be introduced to a very, ah, young cat, who's also in ShadowClan, but I've been considering writing his view for a while. About this chapter, I had my brother proofread a tiny bit, but I haven't had time to properly do it myself, so I apologise in advance for any mistakes. And onto the QOTD!

QOTD: Who do you think the new character will be? Check the allegiances for help!

And next time, I'll try to update on time, I'll even start preparing tomorrow! I hoped you enjoyed this chapter! Bye!